Rabbit vs. No Rabbit in Pet Food Q&A

CONSUMER:

I used to use Wysong for my cat and dog. I have chosen to switch to Wellness now after coming across, at eye level on the shelf, cans of dog food containing RABBIT meat. Being an avid pet lover, an educator and fosterer for the House Rabbit Society, I find that extremely offensive. To me, it’s like finding a can of food containing dog or cat meat. Disgusting. So, I see that Wellness does not sell rabbit meat so I will be giving them my business.

WYSONG RESPONSE:

Thank you for your note. We find it offensive as well. Unfortunately cats and dogs are carnivores and just about anything you feed them would have the demerits you describe. People have pet pigs, cows, chickens, ducks, mice, snakes and even insects. Once you come to know these creatures it would be hard to justify killing for food as well.

No rabbits are killed to create Wysong Rabbit Au Jus™. We use the highly nutritional trimmings from human food production that would otherwise be wasted.

We wish you and yours the best of health.

Sincerely,

Wysong Corporation

CONSUMER:

Well, I have switched to Wellness because Wysong sells rabbit meat in dog food. I am on many pet rabbit internet lists that contain a total of about 2,000. Most rabbit people have multispecies households. I’d say 85%.

I will let them know that Wysong is not sensitive to the fact that the 3rd most popular household pet in the nation is rabbits. Plus, they are shelter animals as well as dogs and cats. They should not be used for food in the pet industry.

WYSONG RESPONSE:

We are assuming then that you choose to ignore that no rabbits are killed for Wysong foods, that Wysong provides many alternative diets not containing rabbit, that Wysong does not support caged animal laboratory testing as the rest of the pet food industry does, and that Wysong even advises people how to feed their pets without buying any processed pet foods, including Wysong. (See the Wysong Optimal Health Program™)

We also do not understand the logic of your argument. Are you suggesting that it is popularity of pets that determines what meats can and cannot be used in pet foods? We would have a tough time explaining that to people who have pet birds, chickens, sheep and cattle.

If we stopped providing any foods containing creatures that people enjoy as pets, pet foods could not be created, pets could not be fed, and that would certainly be a cruelty. Some people even object to certain plants being used since studies show them to be sensitive and feeling.

If you were in the position of advising people what to feed carnivore pets, please tell us what that advice would be and how you logically justify it.

If you choose not to provide an answer, may we suggest that you post our two letters along with yours to your mail list and perhaps someone else can provide this information.

Sincerely,

Wysong Corporation

CONSUMER:

" We also do not understand the logic of your argument. Are you suggesting
that it is popularity of pets that determines what meats can and cannot be
used in pet foods? "
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Exactly. Which is why you do not include dog or cat meat in your dog food products. Or even horse meat. Plus, rabbits are shelter animals. People do not want to see their beloved companions in a can, especially eye level on a shelf in a food store.

Certainly if you have a dog or cat companion in your life or ride a beautiful horse, you understand this. It offends the majority of the population.

WYSONG RESPONSE:

I forgot to mention that the main reason the rabbit based diet was introduced was because a small number of cats and dogs are allergic to conventional meat sources such as chicken and beef.

I know this does not solve your objection, but it is another valid reason for offering the product.

It is also interesting that some birds (found in the product you are switching to) live to be 100 years old and can even learn to communicate with people by language, even constructing grammar and new phraseology. (Explore the amazing stories about "N'kisi" on the Internet.) How will you explain the bird meat sources you are using for your pets to these people?

As I said, we would wish that no life would end in order that food be provided, but that is not nature. The wise thing is always to look to the natural model if health is the objective.